Written Answers Friday 26 November 2010

Scottish Executive

Broadcasting

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures have been taken to encourage BBC or private sector programme makers to market Scotland’s culture internationally.

Fiona Hyslop: Creative Scotland is currently establishing partnerships with broadcasters, including the BBC. Opportunities for marketing Scotland’s culture overseas will be explored within these partnerships.

  The Scottish Government has regularly encouraged broadcasters to promote Scottish culture internationally. For example, I raised the issue at my most recent meeting with Ken MacQuarrie, the Controller of BBC Scotland, on 13 September 2010.

  The Scottish Government invested £150,000, as a co-sponsor with the Daily Record, for the Homecoming brand to sponsor three STV series in 2009 – "Scotland Revealed", "The Greatest Scot" and "Made in Scotland". "Made in Scotland" was subsequently sold by STV to Australia and New Zealand, and across the UK. "Scotland Revealed" was sold to the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Russia. DVD sales of the programmes have also been made in the UK, Canada, and the United States.

Economy

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the national wealth was held by each income decile in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09 and (d) 2009-10.

Alex Neil: Information about wealth by income decile is not available at Scotland level.

  Some information about the relationship between earned income and wealth at UK level is available in the income annex to the Wealth and Assets Survey annual report published by the Office for National Statistics:

  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Product.asp?vlnk=15074.

  The following table shows the percentage of total national income received by each of the income deciles in Scotland.

  Percentage of total national equivalised household income (before housing costs) received by each income decile in Scotland: 2006-07 to 2008-09

  

Decile
06-07
07-08
08-09


1
3
3
3


2
5
5
5


3
6
6
6


4
7
7
7


5
8
8
8


6
9
9
9


7
10
10
10


8
12
12
12


9
14
14
14


10
25
26
27



  Source: Family Resources Survey.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is planning to provide additional Curriculum for Excellence guidance for teachers of science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects.

Mr Michael Russell: The Science and Engineering 21 action plan advisory group has identified the need to improve the accessibility of materials for teachers. The recommendations of the advisory group will sit alongside the work of other excellence groups on mathematics and technologies in informing the future development work of Learning and Teaching Scotland and the Scottish Education Quality and Improvement Agency.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations from the Association for Science Education Scotland regarding the need for more guidance on implementing and teaching the Curriculum for Excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects and, if so, what the (a) nature and (b) outcome of these representations was.

Michael Russell: We have received no representations from the Association for Science Education Scotland concerning additional guidance for Curriculum for Excellence. The Association has the opportunity to discuss their views through their membership of the Science and Engineering Education Advisory Group which meets every two months.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools HM Inspectorate of Education has assisted with implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence since the beginning of August 2010.

Michael Russell: Between 1 August and 25 November 2010, HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) will have assisted 119 schools in its implementation of Curriculum for Excellence through visits to these individual schools. In addition, HMIE will have provided assistance to a wider group of schools through 116 visits to groups of staff from different schools during this period.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools are waiting for assistance from HM Inspectorate of Education with implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence.

Michael Russell: Plans are in place to assist 57 individual schools and a further 32 groups of staff drawn from different schools between 26 November and 18 December 2010.

  It is anticipated that all requests to HM Inspectorate of Education from local authorities for additional assistance to support the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence during the Autumn term of 2010 will have been met by the end of the term.

Enterprise

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will approach the owners of the Nigg yard regarding the sale of the yard to interested parties.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-12065 on 25 November 2010. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliaments website, the official report can be viewed at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor1125-02.htm#Col30895.

Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a recommended number of echocardiogram machines per head of population and, if not, for what reason there is a discrepancy between different NHS boards in the number of such machines in operation.

Nicola Sturgeon: There is no national recommendation on the number of echocardiogram machines per head of population. NHS boards are expected to deploy the number of machines needed to provide an appropriate level of care within an acceptable time, as part of the 18 week referral to treatment care pathway.

Justice

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted and (c) given a custodial sentence in cases involving domestic abuse in each of the last 10 years, broken down by police force area.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons proceeded against for an offence with a domestic aggravator recorded, 2005-06 to 2008-091:

  

Police Force
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Central
 
 
 
 


Proceeded against
8
123
323
601


Convicted
8
108
288
547


Custodial sentence
2
9
20
60


Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 


Proceeded against
185
210
252
282


Convicted
161
192
228
263


Custodial sentence
17
16
27
20


Fife
 
 
 
 


Proceeded against
21
23
52
102


Convicted
19
21
43
91


Custodial sentence
0
2
8
11


Grampian
 
 
 
 


Proceeded against
47
210
264
466


Convicted
39
192
235
430


Custodial sentence
4
15
13
15


Lothian and Borders
 
 
 
 


Proceeded against
598
748
776
961


Convicted
553
667
709
868


Custodial sentence
46
63
69
96


Northern
 
 
 
 


Proceeded against
117
234
300
370


Convicted
109
225
282
342


Custodial sentence
6
18
31
28


Strathclyde
 
 
 
 


Proceeded against
3,664
4,003
4,015
4,861


Convicted
3,117
3,514
3,500
4,275


Custodial sentence
351
374
434
524


Tayside
 
 
 
 


Proceeded against
319
325
329
309


Convicted
291
285
294
285


Custodial sentence
32
27
36
35


Scotland2
 
 
 
 


Proceeded against
4,959
5,876
6,311
7,976


Convicted
4,297
5,204
5,579
7,101


Custodial sentence
458
524
638
789



  Notes:

  1. The recording of offence aggravators has improved with time therefore caution is needed when comparing changes over time. 2005-06 is the first year where it has been considered that the use and recording of domestic abuse aggravator codes from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database has been of sufficient coverage to be used.

  2. Includes a small number of cases where police force unknown.

  The increases at the Scotland level outlined in the table above, between 2005-06 and 2008-09, are likely to be related to a 27 per cent increase in the number of incidents of domestic abuse that were reported by the police to the procurator fiscal, from 14,900 in 2005-06 to 18,800 in 2008-09. This change may be associated with a revised protocol between the Police and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (in December 2008) for dealing with domestic abuse cases - http://www.copfs.gov.uk/Victims/Abuse.

  It should, however, also be noted that statistics dealing with court proceedings and recorded crime are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving more than one victim and there is the possibility that the crime recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings. Also a crime may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings concluded in a subsequent year.

Justice

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people given a custodial sentence in cases involving domestic abuse received a sentence of (a) three months or less and (b) six months or less in each of the last 10 years.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons convicted for an offence with a domestic aggravator1 recorded, receiving a custodial sentence of six months or less, 2005-06 - 2008-09

  

Main Result of Proceedings
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


<= 3 mths 
325
362
421
402


> 3 mths and <= 6 mths
117
111
166
266


Total
442
473
587
668



  1. The recording of aggravators has improved with time therefore caution is needed when comparing changes over time. 2005-06 is the first year where it has been considered that the use and recording of domestic abuse aggravator codes from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database has been of sufficient coverage to be used.

Justice

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the incidence of domestic abuse where the action taken by the police was referral to the procurators fiscal increasing from 35% of cases in 2008-9 to 42% in 2009-10.

Alex Neil: It is encouraging that there has been an increase in the percentage of cases referred by the police to procurators fiscal. It is important that domestic abuse perpetrators receive strong messages about the unacceptability of their actions, and that any criminal offences are dealt with as such. Police forces across Scotland have been working to improve the quality of the police response and in particular their understanding of the issues and their investigative techniques. They have much improved their information and partnership working, which has been focussed towards identifying repeat and serial offenders and the profile of these investigations has been raised substantially across the Scottish Police Service. In particular, better use of special bail conditions and much more stringent enforcement is likely to have led to increased reports to procurators fiscal.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36992 by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 November 2010, whether the proposed 25% reduction in senior managers in the NHS will start immediately.

Nicola Sturgeon: Yes.

Pensions

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Scotland is compliant with age discrimination legislation in relation to those who joined it aged 18 to 20 and, if not, what changes it plans to make to it.

Fergus Ewing: The rules covering contributions in the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (FPS) in Scotland mirror those that apply in England and Wales. Following legal advice the Department for Communities and Local Government, which has responsibility for the FPS in England, has proposed changes to the FPS rules that will remove the potential discrimination for this group. The need for similar changes to the scheme in Scotland will be considered by Scottish Ministers.

Public Bodies

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has, or will seek, powers to abolish the Forestry Commissioners in Scotland through the UK Public Bodies Bill.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has discussed the proposed content of the Bill with the UK Government. The Bill, as introduced, does not give Scottish Ministers the powers to abolish the Forestry Commissioners in Scotland. Since the Forestry Commission is a Great Britain cross-border public body, we would expect a proposal by any country to abolish the Forestry Commission to be discussed and agreed by all three countries.

Scottish Government Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-36778 by John Swinney on 26 October 2010, how often the Infrastructure Investment Group has met; what was discussed in each case; where each meeting was held, and at what cost.

John Swinney: The Infrastructure Investment Group (IIG) was established in 2005 to consider and discuss matters relating to the Scottish Government’s capital spend. The dates and agenda items for meetings since May 2007 are as follows:

  20 July 2007

  Minutes of meeting of 24 April 2007

  Presentation on Audit Scotland study into major capital projects

  National Planning Framework update

  Update on Spending Review 2007 (SR07)

  Cabinet paper on infrastructure investment

  (a) co-ordination

  (b) use of PPP

  (c) Scottish Futures Trust (SFT)

  (d) performance improvement

  Potential impact on investment of international accounting rules

  Update on capital expenditure 2007-08

  13 September 2007

  Minutes of meeting of 20 July 2007

  National Planning Framework update

  Strategic look at SR07 outcomes

  SFT

  IIG database

  Update on capital expenditure 2007-08

  9 January 2008

  Minutes of meeting of 13 September 2007

  National Planning Framework

  SFT

  International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)

  Infrastructure Investment Plan 2008 (IIP)

  Capital expenditure 2007-08

  27 February 2008

  Minutes of meeting of 9 January 2008

  Accounting for sustainable development performance (presentation)

  Cross-compliance and climate change (presentation)

  National Planning Framework

  SFT

  IFRS impact on capital programmes

  IIP

  Spending 2007-08

  12 June 2008

  Minutes of meeting of 27 February 2008

  National Planning Framework

  SFT

  IFRS impact on capital programmes

  IIP, longer term vision for infrastructure investment plans and progress monitoring

  Public procurement reform agenda

  Finance forward look

  Audit Scotland Report on Major Capital Projects

  Outturn spending 2007-08

  Spending 2008-09

  4 February 2009

  National Planning Framework

  IFRS

  Draft revised remit for the IIG

  Economic Recovery Plan

  Infrastructure issues blocking development progress

  Carbon accounting commitments – Strategic Board paper

  Infrastructure Investment – gap created by demise of planning gain

  Capital Expenditure Programme

  SFT

  Infrastructure Investment monitoring

  8 April 2009

  Minutes of meeting of 4 February 2009

  Revised remit for the IIG

  Response to the Public Audit Committee (PAC) report on Major Capital Projects in Scotland: IIG commitments

  IIP

  Major Capital Projects: Progress update

  Development Agreements

  SFT

  IFRS update

  16 June 2009

  Minutes of meeting of 8 April 2009

  Final revised remit

  PAC IIG commitments update

  Capital programme management

  SFT business plan 2009-10

  Schools Estate Strategy

  National Planning Framework II

  Unblocking physical development through infrastructure

  16 October 2009

  Minutes of meeting of 16 June 2009

  PAC commitments update

  Capital projects database

  Reform of Gateway Review

  Capital budget outlook

  Schools estate financial strategy

  SFT Corporate Plan

  Infrastructure UK

  15 December 2009

  Minutes of meeting of 16 October 2009

  PAC commitments update

  Gateway Review engagement and Post Project Evaluation

  School Building Programme

  Procurement policy – assessment of recent case law

  Public finance outlook

  SFT

  Infrastructure UK

  7 April 2010

  Minutes of meeting of 15 December 2009

  Budget 2010 and implications for public spending

  Spending Review 2010 – evidence gathering on capital

  PAC commitment update - Infrastructure projects database and capital budget monitoring

  Infrastructure UK

  Consideration of interaction with European Investment Bank

  SFT

  Development and infrastructure work programme

  14 June 2010

  Minutes of meeting of 7 April 2010

  Capital expenditure – post UK election

  Schools for the Future programme

  Governance of infrastructure investment

  PAC commitments update

  Audit Scotland follow-up review of Major Capital Projects

  Infrastructure Projects Database update

  Gateway Review/Key Stage Review

  Health capital programme

  Hub programme

  Offshore renewable energy infrastructure requirements

  24 August 2010

  Minutes of Meeting of 14 June 2010

  Spending Review 2010 – Capital investment

  Independent Budget Review recommendations on infrastructure investment

  Governance of infrastructure investment

  Purchasing power gains

  All meetings were held in the Scottish Government’s offices in Victoria Quay, Edinburgh. The specific administrative costs for each meeting was approximately £40 per meeting.

Scottish Government Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will reduce the budget for the Scottish Environment and Protection Agency from £44.3 million in 2010-11 to £39.4 million in 2011-12, as reported in table 11.06 on page 178 of Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12.

Roseanna Cunningham: The   Scottish Environment Protection Agency is preparing for a reduction in its grant-in-aid in 2011-12 by continuing to implement a programme of significant transformational change designed to deliver the Agency’s regulatory functions more effectively and efficiently from a smaller cost base. This will allow SEPA to become a leaner regulator, by delivering a more risk-based and proportionate approach to regulation while focussing on its main objective of protecting Scotland’s environment and human health. The Scottish Government will work closely with SEPA to ensure it continues to be adequately resourced to deliver its core regulatory duties and support sustainable economic growth.

Scottish Government Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will reduce the budget for the Forestry Commission from £55.1 million in 2010-11 to £47.7 million in 2011-12, as reported in table 11.06 on page 178 of Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12, and what programmes will contribute to the reduction in programme costs.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Forestry Commission Scotland budget for 2011-12 will reduce by £7.4 million when compared to the 2010-11 Budget. This will be achieved by reducing £2 million from the Timber Transport Fund and £2.4 million from capital and the remaining £3 million is made up by the difference between the £8.9m (increase in available grants) of the £11.9 million EU income.

Scottish Government Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff have been employed in the area of (a) drugs and (b) alcohol and what the costs were in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not collect staffing information in this way.

  Table 1 lists the number of permanent and fixed term appointment staff working in the Drugs Policy Unit; this does not cover all staff in the Scottish Government who work on drugs issues.

  Table 2 lists the number of permanent and fixed term appointment staff working in the Alcohol Policy Team; this does not cover all staff in the Scottish Government who work on alcohol issues.

  

Table 1
Number
Full Time Equivalent
Cost


2007-08
11
10.8
£398,000


2008-09
11
10.9
£325,000


2009-10
10
9.9
£350,000



  

Table 2
Number
Full Time Equivalent
Cost


2007-08
7
6.4
£258,000


2008-09
9
8.4
£275,000


2009-10
12
10.8
£398,000



  Staff numbers are as at 31 March 2008, 2009 and 2010.

  Costs figures have been rounded to the nearest £1,000.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENTARY CORPORATE BODY

Scottish Parliament Procurement

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what discussions Forth Energy has had with it regarding the supply of heat energy.

Alex Johnstone: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has had no discussions with Forth Energy regarding the supply of heat energy.